3
Jude
"You're wastingyour talent with these meatheads, Jude,” Cade said. "We're playing tomorrow night at The Whiskey, at least come and hearusplay."
"I don't know, man," Jude said as he spun the lock off his crash cymbal. "I'm not leaving my band. We moved out here together, we're gonna make ittogether."
"You're a dreamer. You know what they sound like and you know you're better than them. I heard you play. You're running circlesaroundthem."
"I know, but you have to hear me out. These guys are like family to me. I can't justabandonthem."
Jude looked up as Cade nodded. Turning him down was hard. He knew Tan Lines and admired them. He also knew it would be great grooving with a bassist who had a concept of time, but he couldn't leave hisfriends.
Noticing Cade looking off stage, Jude followed his gaze. Cade was looking at a girl with black shoulder-length hair, black lined eyes, and dark lipstick. She looked like any other groupie he'd seen at the different venues around town, but he couldn't help but think there was something specialabouther.
She was talking to her girlfriend and Cade seemed lost in thought, so Jude took the opportunity to drink her in. She wasn't his usual girl. Usually the girls he got were thinner, as if that's what gave them the confidence to approach him. Even through her loose dark dress and tights, Jude could tell she had soft curves he wanted to feel against hishardbody.
"That your girl?" Judeasked.
"Her? No, not for lack of trying though," Cade said. "That's Zoey. She works here now but used to come to all the showsbeforethat."
"Clubrat?"
Cade laughed. "Yeah, you could callherthat."
In the time Jude and his band had been out in LA, he discovered what it was like to be a rock star. Every club had a group of girls who always came to the shows and wanted to show their appreciation totheband.
"So,youever...?"
"No, I wouldn't do that. She's special. There's just something about her. I mean she gets it. She really gets the music and loves it. We call her our muse. You should talk to her. Maybe she'll talk some senseintoyou."
"Muse?" Jude said as he finished packing up his stuff. "I'll have to talk to her sometime, but right now this girl over there has been giving me the eye during ourentireset."
"Think about my offer. Like I said, at least come see us play at TheWhiskey."
"Thanks, but I'm a loyal guy, Cade. Maybe I'll check you guys out at the Whiskey, but I'll bringmyband."
* * *
Wearinga pair of loose fitting sandblasted jeans and nothing else, Jude softly kissed the lips of the disheveled petite brunette at the door as she left the one bedroom apartment he called home. Closing the door, he smiled at his bandmates, who were watching morning game shows on the TV just a fewfeetaway.
Jude and his two closest friends, Ron Myles and Derek Lane, packed up a van and moved from the Cleveland, Ohio suburb of Stow where they grew up to Los Angeles a couple of years ago. At the time, Jude was only sixteen and the youngest of his friends, but having been accelerated through the school's gifted program, they all graduated together and were ready to follow their dreams. None of them left much behind in Ohio, and they neverlookedback.
“I’m telling you, she’s it. That’s the girl for me,”Judesaid.
Ron, a tall, lanky blond wearing torn jeans and an old concert t-shirt, snorted then returned his focus on the TV. Being the only member of the group brave enough to sing, Ron begrudgingly became their lead singer even though all he wanted to do was playguitar.
“What? I’m serious. She’s the one. I’m in love,” Jude saidearnestly.
“Jude. Listen, do you have any idea how many girls we’ve seen come and go since we moved here? Just because some chick sucks your cock a few nights in a row doesn’t mean you love her,” Ron said. “I mean you can lovethat, but not her. You don’t even know her. But what do I know, maybe if I was getting as much pussy as you do, I’d think I was in love all thetime,too.”
“Yeah well, speaking of love,” Derek said as he pushed his shoulder-length hair out of his face. “I’d love to actually sleep in the bedroom sometime. Think you can take a break for the night? Let us move the mattresses back intheroom?”
“She’s planning on coming back over later,” Jude said as Derek groaned. “I didn’t think you guys would mind. At least you have more space out here than the three of us crammed into a bedroom. Really guys, I’m serious aboutthisgirl.”
“Serious? Really, Jude? Then what’s her name?” Ronasked.
What was her name?Jude wondered. Sally, Sarah…he wasn’t usually like this. He could name every girl he’d ever been with, but for some reason this one time her name wasn’t popping up in his head. Zoey? No, that was the curvy club rat Cade told him about at The Roxy the other night. The one with the rocking body. The muse, as Cade called her. He had to admit to himself that he couldn’t get her name out of his head. Maybe Ron wasright.
